The End of the Line
by Oswin Song
Summary: The last encounter of The Doctor and River Song before she ventures off to The Library.


River Song bolts up in bed as she hears the whir of the TARDIS materializing outside of her house. She quickly whips the blanket off her, causing it to fly halfway across the room. Before it touches the ground, River is out of bed with one leg in a pair of pants. 

The Doctor pulls a lever on the TARDIS console, landing the machine. The TARDIS vibrates a somber ambient hum. The Doctor walks away from the centerpiece, to the double doors. The TARDIS lights dim as he reaches the exit. 

As he strokes the wood, the Doctor whispers, "I know, girl, I know." He opens the door, letting it close behind him. 

Inside her house, River bumps a white spacesuit out of a chair with a swing of her hips. She sits down in front of the vanity, and gazes into the mirror. She fixes a few flattened curls by twisting her hair around her finger. 

A dash of red is added to her face as she smacks her cheeks for a blush effect. River pouts her mouth before dabbing light pink lipstick. After inserting the lipstick back into the cap, she looks into the mirror again. She smiles as she rises from her seat. 

With each step, the Doctor's expression seems to grow wearier. He runs his hands through his fresh haircut, pulling a few strands to their extent of their newly shortened length. 

Looking more put together than ever before, the Doctor wears a midnight blue suit with a shirt that borders cream and tan. Everything about his appearance is new except his trusty red bowtie and his face. 

The Doctor places his hands on his chin, opens his mouth and stretches his jaw. "Ahhh," the Doctor moans as he moves his jaw in a circular motion. He inhales deeply and sighs in such a morose way that anyone who may have witnessed it would have felt a pain in their heart. 

A loud crack is sounded as the Doctor slaps himself right across the face. He shakes himself out and smiles. He presses the doorbell to River's house. 

*Ding dong* 

River grabs her diary off of her nightstand, and rushes to her awaiting Doctor. She grins as she opens the door. River lays eyes on the Doctor, and surveys him up and down.

"I am underdressed, one moment please," River states nonchalantly. She leaves the door ajar as she runs up the stairs back to her room. 

The Doctor walks in and takes a place in a comfy chair.

A short while later, he rises from his seat as River descends the staircase. His mouth drops agape at the sight of River. 

Her golden blond ringlets in a loose updo, bounce with each step. Her skin radiantly glows in her gorgeous floor length coral gown. An empire waist cut is accented with tightly wound black ribbon that criss-crosses down her torso, stopping just at her hips. It creates the illusion of a straps hang elegantly alongside her arm.

The dress is sexy, showing skin in all the right places; her bare shoulders leading up to her long, elegant naked neck. In place of a clutch River holds her tattered old blue diary. 

A brief moment passes before the Doctor is able to conjure up the words, "Stunning, absolutely breathtakingly stunning." 

River curtsies ever so slightly, grabbing the hem of her dress. "So what is the occasion?" 

"Do I need an occasion to see my girl? It has been a long time since I've set eyes on you." 

"It's only been a week for me." 

"Really? I've got to work on that." The Doctor scratches his head, and River smiles. 

"For a Time Lord, you are really bad with time… Shall we leave, dear? I must see the place that made the Doctor consider a new outfit." 

The Doctor smiles in return.

"River, have you heard The Singing Towers at Derillium?" 

"No, but I've always wanted to." 

Without another word, the Doctor grabs River by the hand and runs out of the house towards the TARDIS. 

River and the Doctor lie on a vibrant green hill. The grass faintly glows under the night sky. All the plant-life around them fade in and out of luminosity in perfect harmony with the song. 

The pair gaze at the stars, dry in words, but drenched in the sound of the majestic music of The Singing Towers. 

The Doctor rests his hands under his head. River glances, at her Doctor. A shiver shakes down her spine to her feet as she sees a single tear drop roll down he Doctor's face. 

Lost in thought he is startled when River clenches his hand, and stares into his eyes. She gently places her hand on his face, opposite the tear.

A deep sensation consumes both River and the Doctor through their very core as she runs her thumb over his cheek.

Their lips collide, in a long, deep, passionate kiss. As they part, the skin of their lower lips magnetizes, extending their embrace. 

The Doctor and River flip switches on the TARDIS console. Together they land the TARDIS outside of River's house. River attempts to open the doors, but they won't budge. 

"The doors are stuck, Doctor." 

He raises an eyebrow and looks up towards the ceiling of the TARDIS. It makes a power down type of noise, and the doors swing open. 

"Oh, there it goes. Have you noticed the TARDIS acting strange lately?" 

"Nothing out of the ordinary." 

River rubs the door in the same spot the Doctor previously did.

"Poor girl. You shouldn't ride her so hard." 

River exits the TARDIS.

The Doctor follows her and leans in the doorway.

"Here we are, River. Home, sweet home. Although, fancy another trip? Come on, what do you say?" 

"You know I have prior obligations." 

"It's a time machine." 

"And you know as well as I that there is no guarantee of coming back alive when traveling with you." 

The Doctor cringes slightly, but not enough to give anything away to River.

"Why don't you come with me, Doctor? We'd get there a lot faster by TARDIS." 

"Eh, archeology, not my thing." 

"Well, keep your psychic paper handy, I might need your help." 

The Doctor pulls out a sonic screwdriver and hands its to River.

"Just in case." 

"I love you, come home safely to me, okay? Hopefully with the same face."

River pats the Doctor on his cheek with one palm.

The Doctor smiles, looking intently at her. "River Song, I will love you until the day I die of old age," the Doctor announces amorously. 

River blushes and tenderly declares, "I've said that to you a thousand times, and yet it means so much more when it's coming from you." 

With a wink, River turns and begins to walk across the street; the Doctor returns to the interior of the TARDIS. He places his palms on the TARDIS console, and hangs his head. 

A moment later, River runs back inside and gives the Doctor an unyielding kiss. "Bye, sweetie. Until we meet again."

River Song exits the TARDIS for the last time. The doors close behind her as the Doctor snaps his fingers and looks on.


End file.
